Flight Over Bristol
by Max Neverland
Summary: Dawn was touching the horizon as the little village of Godric's Hollow lay in slumber. The street lamps glowed softly in the gloom, casting thin shadows over the quaint buildings. Faux spider webs clung to the cottage faces and large carved pumpkins rested in the gardens. Autumn leaves littered the streets, crunching under the massive feet of the lone figure hurrying through the...


**FLIGHT OVER BRISTOL**

Dawn was touching the horizon as the little village of Godric's Hollow lay in slumber. The street lamps glowed softly in the gloom, casting thin shadows over the quaint buildings. Faux spider webs clung to the cottage faces and large carved pumpkins rested in the gardens. Autumn leaves littered the streets, crunching under the massive feet of the lone figure hurrying through the square.

He was a giant of a man. He filled the whole breadth of the sidewalk and was forced to stoop under every shop sign. His black hair was a wild mane and his untamed beard spilled over his chest. He wore an old brown coat that brushed his knees and the toes of his leather boots were heavily scuffed. Poking out of the folds of his coat was a bright pink umbrella.

Rubeus Hagrid reached the house before the muggles awoke. It was identical to every other cottage in the town but for the gaping hole in the side of the second story. A chill ran over Hagrid's bones and he shook himself; there was no time to dwell on what he was seeing. He blinked back the tears that pricked at his eyes and stepped over the little gate with one smooth stride. A cobbled path ran up the garden, lined by tended flower beds; a toy broomstick had been crashed into the middle of them. The front door was ajar.

He found James first. The young man was sprawled on his back in the living room, glasses askew, hazel eyes wide and unseeing. A howl tore from Hagrid's throat, rough with pain and thick with grief. He fell to his knees beside the body and pulled James' head into his lap. He gave himself one minute; just one minute to gently close James' eyes, rearrange his glasses, and place a wet, whiskery kiss on his brow, and then Hagrid was up and climbing the stairs.

The destruction began at the top of the stairs. Mounds of debris and chunks of splintered wood littered the carpet, and the roof was on the verge of caving in. The walls around the nursery were in crumbling ruins at the end of the hall. Hagrid stepped over the remains of a door that had been blasted off its hinges and something snapped beneath his heel; looking down, he saw the splinters of a large wooden snitch painted in glittering gold that had once been mounted to the nursery door.

He found Lily next. She lay face down on the nursery floor, her dark red hair a fiery halo around her. Her arm was caught in the cot bars and a fresh sob shook Hagrid as he saw that a baby boy was sitting up in the cot with one chubby fist wrapped around his mother's cold finger. The child's face was stained with tears, and snot was smeared on the front of his pyjamas, but his big green eyes were clear now as he gazed up solemnly at Hagrid. Under a tuft of black hair, bright against his pale brow, was a fresh cut in the shape of a lightning bolt.

"Yer okay, Harry," said Hagrid kindly, picking his way through the wreckage to reach the cot. "Yeh'll be alright. I've got yeh."

He took Lily from her son and quickly but gently tended to her as he had James, speaking to Harry all the while. His voice, although naturally rough, was filled with warmth, and when he laid Lily back down and reached into the cot, Harry fearlessly stretched out his arms towards him. Hagrid wrapped him snuggly in a warm blanket.

"Time ter go, Harry."

With the little boy tucked safely in his massive hand, Hagrid hurried from the cottage. The village was beginning to wake and they passed a newspaper boy on his bicycle as they headed for the outskirts of town. Harry gazed up and gurgled happily when the sound of an aeroplane rumbled overhead. Hagrid, focused on his task, paid it no heed until he suddenly realized that the sound was drawing alarmingly close. He peered up and with a start saw that the dark shape rattling down towards the edge of town – right where they were heading – was in fact a huge flying motorcycle. Hagrid's free hand snapped to his pink umbrella, ready to spring into action, before he recognized the young man sitting astride it.

Sirius Black landed as they passed the very last cottage. His motorcycle all but crashed to the ground and he threw himself from it before the engine had even settled. His dark hair was wind swept and his grey eyes were wild; there was no trace of his usual casual elegance as he stumbled towards them.

"Hagrid, what happened?" he cried. "Why do you have Harry? _Where are Lily and James_?"

"I'm sorry, Sirius," replied Hagrid sombrely, fresh tears forming in his eyes. "You-know-who found 'em. They're gone."

Sirius fell to his knees with an anguished cry, his handsome face distorted with grief. He punched the ground three times in quick succession, leaving his knuckles torn and bloodied. Harry began to wail and Sirius immediately sprung to his feet, reaching for his godson.

"It's okay, Harry. Hagrid, give him to me – "

"No," said Hagrid abruptly, stepping back and pulling Harry to his chest protectively. "I can't."

"What are you talking about? I'm his godfather!"

"Dumbledore's orders – "

" _Dumbledore's orders_ ," scoffed Sirius. "I don't care what the old man says. Harry should be with me! I'm the only family he's got left!"

"Dumbledore said he has ter go ter Lily's sister," argued Hagrid. "She's his blood aunt."

"Lily's sister? You mean Petunia?" said Sirius incredulously. "That muggle woman hated Lily, hated everything about our world. Harry can't be raised among people like that! He needs to be with his own kind. He needs to be with _me_."

"I know yeh care for him bu' I can't do that," persisted Hagrid. "I have ter take him ter Dumbledore. Yeh can take it up with him. I'm sorry."

Sirius was visibly crushed. Longing filled his face as he gazed at Harry, who was half-hidden in Hagrid's beard and sucking loudly on his thumb for comfort.

"I'll say goodbye, then," he said at last.

The giant nodded and Sirius approached them. Hagrid carefully placed Harry in the young man's arms. The child beamed brightly and grabbed playfully at Sirius' face, love for his godfather shining in his eyes. A quiet tear slipped down Sirius' stubbled cheek but he quickly brushed it aside and ruffled the baby's hair.

"I'll sort this mess out. Don't let the muggles get you down, kid," he told him, and then spoke to Hagrid as he handed the child over with obvious reluctance. "I'm going to see Lily and James and then there's something I have to do. I won't need my bike so why don't you take it?"

"I won't say no ter that," replied Hagrid, admiring the motorcycle. "I'll drop it off once Harry's settled."

"Sounds good."

Sirius cast Harry one last look, nodded to Hagrid, and then set off at a sprint into the village. Harry began to fuss as his godfather left, so Hagrid quickly mounted the huge motorcycle and started the engine; it was just big enough to accommodate for his giant size. He balanced Harry on his knee and delved into his deep coat pockets with his free hand; after a minute of hunting, he pulled out a large handknitted scarf and a pair of goggles. He set the goggles over his own face and fashioned the scarf into a sling beneath his coat which he then secured Harry in, placing him deep inside so that the thick wool covered his ears.

The motorcycle took to the skies as a shrill siren erupted from Godric's Hollow; the muggles had awoken and discovered the Potters. Hagrid steered the motorcycle into the shadows of the clouds so that the muggles on the ground would pass them off as being a large bird or a distant plane. Snug in his sling under the coat, the baby popped his thumb in his mouth and tangled his other hand comfortingly in Hagrid's beard.

Harry fell asleep as they were flying over Bristol.


End file.
